When you get the jitters before an interview, you can learn how to harness that energy to enhance your performance. As an opera singer and voice coach, I have a lot of experience with this myself.
1) Don’t fight it. Being nervous is a good thing. It stems from your desire to succeed–or at least to avoid humiliation. When you recognize this, it will help you better understand this natural reaction and stop trying to obliterate it.
2) Breathe. When you feel your heart pounding, take deep breaths. Make sure your stomach moves in and out with each breath, not your chest. Breathing deeply is such an effective way to gain more control over your emotions. It slows your heart rate down and takes the edge off your nervous energy.
3) Get excited! Nervousness can quickly turn into excitement with a little positive affirmation. Consciously imagine the interview going well. Use your mental powers to channel that anxiety into enthusiasm for what you are about to experience.
4) This process of converting nervousness into positive energy will become more natural the more you do it. Once mastered, you can apply this trick to any stressful situation–giving a speech, a business presentation, or making a hard sale.
About the Author: Mimi West is Founder & CEO of My Dream Teacher
